Unlimited Data needs to be a option in Canada

[Souky123]

Unlimited Data needs to be a option in Canada. USA is way ahead.  Canada needs to offer as Public mobile has the 3g 4g LTE plans. Why not make this unlimited and just set at rate for example 40 plan 5gb  LTE then as it's gets close to the limit put down to 1gb

[carrieellen]

I agree. I have the 6gs and unlimited talk and text plan with PM for $45 month.

This is by far the best plan I've ever had or seen with any provider . I have yet to go over my 6gs of data and I'm extremely satisfied with the service .

Public Mobile is a God send and I brag to everyone they need to switch

[Souky123]

Thank you for your reply

[stonechucker]

This exists because of our largely vacant population, for such a large land mass.  The companies who have the money spend huge amounts of money to get service where the majority of people live, and spend very little to get it where hardly anyone one lives.

Small operators, much like what Public Mobile used to be, were the key to getting smaller areas up and running, and if there were more like that, we’d have competition, and we’d see better rates.

as for WiFi on transit, I know that there are a few, and more are quite possible.  Some cities have extensive free WiFi, and others are thinking about it.

Who needs more than 4GB monthly?  It’s insane to do so with prices in the major markets. If you’re in Quebec, Manitoba, or Sasketchewan, you might have Deals for more data, but the vast majority of the country are continually hosed.

[EdmondY]

Well why are we being billed unreasonable overage rates from Canadian providers when some foreign providers can roam on Canadian networks for less than what we pay?  Cellular data is convenient for on-the-go usage.  Can you maintain a WI-FI connection on transit?  No and even if it's minimal data usage, it'll still create a considerable bill.  Other countries provide ridiculously cheap data service rates, why does it not exist in Canada?

Now that being said, this discussion has happened multiple times, but it's good to talk about the reasons behind it.  It's not a first world problem, it's only a Canadian problem.  Where else does this problem exist across a whole nation?

[stonechucker]

No one needs unlimited data.  Home internet plans are unlimited, and WiFi is quicker than most cellular connections at this point.

WiFi is available in a countless number of locations, making it less important for cellular data to be required.

Many streaming apps have quality options for video and audio, and some allow for downloading the media for offline access.  If you can’t be bothered to use the technology that is already offered to you properly, you shouldn’t be surprised you run out of data, or get billed heavily for overages at the postpaid providers.

The is a case of first world problems.

[EdmondY]

If you want more information, a quick google search brings up this article here: https://mobilesyrup.com/2018/03/15/freedom-mobile-now-testing-band-13-in-select-markets/

Plently of devices made for the NA support it so coverage for those devices are growing.  Coverage on B13 for Vancouvers looks done and they're rolling it out for other major cities soon.  The B13 coverage and cell towers in Vancouver on Freedom's network can be found here.

[popping]

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@EdmondY wrote:

Well if you could live with EDGE like speeds, technically it exist at Chatr and Lucky (they don't bill for overusage but they cap the speeds to the point where it takes a while to pull up a website).  Otherwise I can't see unlimited plans within Canada in the next while but it could happen in the future...

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Chatr unlimited data originates from Mobilicity which had unlimited data at the beginning.  Lot of subscribers used it for home Internet access.  Then, Mobilicity changed it so that the speed will slow down after 6GB data.  After Rogers move us to Chatr and kept the 6GB limit.  Chatr 3G with 3Mbps cap is very slow.  I have a hard time to use 500MB/m because of the slow speed.  When comparing with PM data speed, it is day and night.

[Souky123]

Awesome thank you 

[EdmondY]

Band 13 is a low frequently spectrum that the Big 3 currently use already in rural areas and Freedom is deploying in Vancouver to allow coverage in basements.  Speed isn't the key here, in fact it'll be quite slow but the fact that you can now receive coverage where you haven't before is awesome!  Quite a bit of phones pick up that signal, most likely if it's a phone from North America, so it's a major thing for Freedom customers.

[Souky123]

What is b13?

[EdmondY]

Oh Lucky Mobile has a plan for $40 with unlimited talk, text, 4.5GB data (unlimited throttled) and it's not zoned which is the best you can find for "unlimited" data plan.  Maybe when Freedom Mobile widely deploys B13, we can actually use a reliable network provided a phone that can pick up B13 is used.

[computergeek541]

As mentioned, Chatr does have unllimited data, but the speed throttle goes to very, very slow speed after hitting the advertised usage threshhold.  In addition, these are zoned plans.  Lucky Mobile also offers similar types of unlimited data plans.  The other option is Freedom Mobile, but I still consider their network to be weak.

Unlimited data has also been offered in the past at more traditional postpaid carriers (was it Fido?).  Also, Rogers and Fido did offer something called Unlimited Mobile Browsing before and it did offer unlimited data but was restricted to use with specific carrier-sold devices.

[EdmondY]

Well if you could live with EDGE like speeds, technically it exist at Chatr and Lucky (they don't bill for overusage but they cap the speeds to the point where it takes a while to pull up a website).  Otherwise I can't see unlimited plans within Canada in the next while but it could happen in the future...

[will13am]

Unlimited data in Canada?  Yeah right, and chickens fly!  That said, in due time cost will come down for data.  We are seeing it happen slowly.  Remember home internet plans with overage charges at a buck a gig because the service providers said bandwidth costs a lot of money and the CRTC bit.  These days, there are not that many home internet plans that are limited usage.  

Not to brag, I have had a taste of "unlimited" data plan already.  Actually the data costs $10 per gig with 100% discount.  I don't abuse my provider's benevolence.  Sustainable usage is the best policy. 

[popping]

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@Souky123 wrote:

Unlimited Data needs to be a option in Canada. USA is way ahead.  Canada needs to offer as Public mobile has the 3g 4g LTE plans. Why not make this unlimited and just set at rate for example 40 plan 5gb  LTE then as it's gets close to the limit put down to 1gb

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Big 3 will not agree to offer unlimited LTE data plan.  It will be long time before Telus let PM to offer unlimited data plan.

[ShawnC13]

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@Souky123 wrote:

Unlimited Data needs to be a option in Canada. USA is way ahead.  Canada needs to offer as Public mobile has the 3g 4g LTE plans. Why not make this unlimited and just set at rate for example 40 plan 5gb  LTE then as it's gets close to the limit put down to 1gb

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The big 3 don't want to run it that way.  Canada pays the highest rates in the world for data (if not we are very close to the top).